Integrated electrical control device

ABSTRACT

An integrated electrical control device in which an electrical coil and connectors therefor are embedded in a body of plastic or other relatively rigid nonconducting material, and a switch disposed in a cavity in said body interconnects said conductor members and is adapted to be operated by an armature held by the core of said coil. The switch may consist of a leaf spring rigidly connected to one of said conductor members and yieldably connected to the other of the conductor members, and is operated by the operation of said armature through a stem extending inwardly into the body to the switch. The coil and conductor members are molded integrally with the plastic body.

United States Patent [191 Johnson Nov. 13, 1973 INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVICE [75] Inventor: Dean W. Johnson, Mishawaka, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Burcliff Industries, Inc., Mishawaka,

Ind.

[22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 220,938

[52] US. Cl. 335/202, 335/187 [51] Int. Cl. II0lll 50/04 [58] Field of Search 335/202, 187, 260, 335/278 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,516,035 6/1970 Josenhans 335/202 2,057,093 10/1936 Geisslinger 335/202 3,040,143 6/1962 Peay et al. 335/202 Primary Examiner--Harold Broome Attorney-Marmaduke A. Hobbs et al.

[57] ABSTRACT An integrated electrical control device in which an electrical coil and connectors therefor are embedded in a body of plastic or other relatively rigid nonconducting material, and a switch disposed in a cavity in said body interconnects said conductor members and is adapted to be operated by an armature held by the core of said coil. The switch may consist of a leaf spring rigidly connected to one of said conductor members and yieldably connected to the other of the conductor members, and is operated by the operation of said armature through a stem extending inwardly into the body to the switch. The coil and conductor members are molded integrally with the plastic body.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures m n mum 13 ms 3.772.622

' sum 2 or "2 i i E INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVICE separately requiring a number of separate assembly operations. The assembly operations are often performed individually with manual handling, of the parts between each operation, including inserting the elements and partially assembled parts into the machine. and removing them therefrom by hand. After the electrical parts have been assembled, they are frequently enclosed in a removable cover which must be fastened by screws or clamps to the base of the relay structure. These individual operations are all time consuming, and the. rivets, clamps and screws used in the assembled structure occasionally become loosened or disconnected, permitting the parts held thereby to become dislodged from the base or other part to which it is attached. Further, the wires used in connecting the electrical parts are likely to develop defective connections, thus resulting in failure of the relay and requiring repair or replacement thereof. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide an integrated structure incorporating in a single unit the electrical coil and control switch therefor, which are encapsulated in a body of plastic or other electrical nonconducting material which retains the operating parts firmly in proper operating position. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical relay in which the coil and switch are molded together into a body of plastic and essentially enclosed by the body so that only the coil pole and electrical con tacts for the lead wires are exposed, and which is so designed and constructed that the structure with the coil and switch can be molded as an integral unit in a single molding operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an integrated control device in which most of the electrical and mechanical parts thereof are fully and firmly embedded in a relatively rigid body of electrical nonconducting material, and which are permanently held in operating position in the body, permitting the control device to be installed as a unit. I

A further object is to provide an integrated control of the aforesaid type which is simple and rugged inconstruction and can readily be adapted to a varietyof different types of operations and applications without any substantial modification in the basic structure.

Additional objects and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an appliance emergency switch incorporating a relay embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the emergency switch shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the switch shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the switch shown in the preceding figures;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the switch, the section being taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the switch, the section being taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

and

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a circuit used in connection with the present integrated control.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and to FIG. 1 in particular, numeral 10 indicates generally an emergency switch designed primarily for use on an automatic washing machine which utilizes a rotating basket for drying the clothes. The switch is so positioned that it is operated by the basket when an unbalanced load causes the basket to oscillate from side to side as it rotates. It may be used in a circuit, such as that shown in FIG. 7 having a motor 12, lines 14 and 16 to the motor, with. the present integrated control 20 shown in the form of a relay and having a coil 22 and a switch 24, schematically illustrated in FIG. 7. The control switch 24 is normally closed when the automatic washer is in operation, and the current flows through bar 26, switch 24 and bar 28, essentially by-passing coil 22, since the switch has a low ohm rating and the coil a high ohm rating. When switch 24 is opened as a result of an unbalanced load inv the basket, the current flowing through the coil to the motor is sufficient to hold the switch in open position but insufficient to operate the motor. Consequently, the washer becomes inoperable until the load is readjusted and the machine started again. The present integrated control provides an effective relay involving coil 22 and switch 24 for performing the foregoing control operation.

The emergecy switch shown in the drawings consists of an L-shapedbase plate 40 having a section 42 and a section 44 to which the present integrated control 20 is secured. The switch 24 is disposed in a body 52 of the control and is operated by an armature 54 pivoted in a slot 56 in section 42 of the base plate, the armature being pivotally held in the slot by notches 58 and 60 in the sides of the armature, which interlock with the sides of slots 56. The armature is urged away from the coil 22 of the control by a spring 62 connected at one end to the end of the armature extension 64 projecting beyond section 42 and to the lower part of section 42. The degree of pivoting of the armature is controlled by a leg 66 extending outwardly from the slot along the armature, and this leg can be varied in position varying the degree to which the armature will pivot. An operating finger 68 is attached to the free end of the armature by a plurality of rivets or other suitable securing means. The finger, which is preferably of a relatively rigid plastic material, is engaged by the basket of the washer when the basket is out of balance pressing the armature inwardly to close the switch, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Coil 22, consisting of wire 70 and a core 72, is embedded in body 52 and is secured by an extension 74 to section 44 of plate 40, the end of the extension being deformed as ahead 76 to effectively rivet the control to the backing plate. The upper face 76 of the core is substantially on-a plane with the upper surface 78 of body 52. and is engaged by the armature and/or one of the rivets therein when the coil is energized as herein described. The two bars 26 and 28 along with the coil are embedded in the plastic body, and a leaf-spring switch element 80 is secured to the inner endof bar 26 by a rivet 82. The other end of the leaf-spring switch contacts an element on the inner end of bar 28. The leaf-spring switch has a portion 86 which extends beyond the inner end of bar 28 and is operated by a finger on the armature 87 and reciprocating stem 88 disposed in a hole 90 in body 52. The leaf spring is disposed in a chamber 92 which is provided with a window 94 used in the assembling operation for connecting the leafspring switch to the end of bar 26 by rivet 82. After the spring switch has been riveted to the bar, a thin plastic plate 96 is inserted in window 94, thereby, together with backing plate 40, fully closing chamber 92. C- sure 96 is held in place by two longitudinal shoulders 98 and 100 along each side of window'94 and shoulders 102 and 104 at opposite ends thereof. The closure is flexed sufficiently to snap it in place beneath the two shoulders 102 and 104 and can be removed if necessary to repair the switch. The outer ends 106 and 108 of bars 26 and 28 form connections with leads l6 and 18 to complete the circuit to motor 12. The wire coil 70 is on a bobbin having end members 108 and 110 and consisting of a plastic or other nonconducting material, preferably in the form of discs, and ends of the wire coil are connected to bars 26 and 28 by short leads 114 and 116, the inner end of lead 114 being disposed in a radial groove in the upper surface of end member 108.

The integratedrelay structure unit is constructed by molding the two bars 26 and 28, coil 22 and core 72 in plastic body 52 with window 94 open. The core 72 is inserted in the coil bobbin and stem 88 is then inserted in hole '90. After leaf-spring switch 24 is riveted to bar 26, the closure 96 is inserted in window 94, thus completing the assembly of the relay 20. The material used for the body is preferably plastic such as nylon.

When the emergency control device is used in conjunction with an automatic washing machine and is caused to operate by an unbalanced load in the basket, the armature is pressed downwardly, causing finger 87 to engage stem 88 and open switch 24 and thus interrupting the normal path of the current between lead 16 and motor 12. Upon opening of the switch, the only path of current to the motor is through coil 22 and, since it has a high ohm rating, the current reaching the motor is insufficient to operate the motor. Since the current is an alternating current, there is momentary energization interruption of the coil, causing a rapid chattering noise which is used as a signal to indicate that the washer is not operating because the load in the basket is unbalanced. After the main switch of the washer has been turned off, the coil releases the armature, thereby permitting the leaf-spring switch 24 to close the main circuit between line 16 and the motor.

While the present integrated control is illustrated as a relay for an emergency switch on a washer, the novel concept disclosed herein can be adapted to various other uses and electrical devices incorporating one or more switches. It is seen that the control 20 essentially is a separate and complete unit with the principal parts thereof being embedded in the plastic body and retained firmly in place thereby. Only switch element 80 and stem 88 of the basic operating elements are added 4 scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An integrated electrical control device comprising a unitary body of electrical nonconducting material, an electrical coil embeddedin said body, a cavity in said body, a pair of electrical connector members embedded in said body and connected to said coil and having means for connection to a source of current for said coil, said members extending parallel with one another on either side of said coil and the inner ends of said members projecting into said cavity, an electrical switch means in said cavity for controlling the current through said coil interconnecting the inner ends of said members and including a leafspring switch element attached to one of said members and yieldably in contact with the other of said members, and a stem engaging said element near the yieldable end thereof and projecting outwardly from said body for operation of said switch element.

2. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 1 in which said unitary body is constructed of relatively rigid plastic material and said coil and pair of electrical conductor members are firmly embedded in said material in electrical contact with one another.

3. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 1 in which said electrical nonconducting material is nylon.

4. An integrated electrical control device comprising a unitary body of electrical nonconducting material, a base supporting said body, an armature pivotally connected to said base, a spring urging said armature away from said body, an electrical coil embedded in said body and having a core adapted to attract said armature thereto, a cavity in said body, an electrical switch means in said cavity for controlling the current to said coil, a means interconnecting said switch means and said armature for actuating said switch means, and a pair of electrical conductor members embedded in said body and connected to said switch means and coil and having means for connection to a source of current for said coil.

5. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 4 in which said switch consists of a leaf spring element connected to one of said electrical conductor members and yieldably connected to the other of said electrical members and a stem engaging said yieldable end of said element and extending from said body for engagement by said armature.

6. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 4 in which said nonconducting material of said body consists of a relatively rigid plastic material.

7. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 4 in which said pair of electrical connector members consists of relatively rigid bars connected to the coil along either side thereof.

8. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim'7 in which said base has a pivot means for said armature end a stop means for limiting the movement of said armature away from said core. 

1. An integrated electrical control device comprising a unitary body of electrical nonconducting material, an electrical coil embedded in said body, a cavity in said body, a pair of electrical connector members embedded in said body and connected to said coil and having means for connection to a source of current for said coil, said members extending parallel with one another on either side of said coil and the inner ends of said members projecting into said cavity, an electrical switch means in said cavity for controlling the current through said coil interconnecting the inner ends of said members and including a leafspring switch element attached to one of said members and yieldably in contact with the other of said memberS, and a stem engaging said element near the yieldable end thereof and projecting outwardly from said body for operation of said switch element.
 2. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 1 in which said unitary body is constructed of relatively rigid plastic material and said coil and pair of electrical conductor members are firmly embedded in said material in electrical contact with one another.
 3. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 1 in which said electrical nonconducting material is nylon.
 4. An integrated electrical control device comprising a unitary body of electrical nonconducting material, a base supporting said body, an armature pivotally connected to said base, a spring urging said armature away from said body, an electrical coil embedded in said body and having a core adapted to attract said armature thereto, a cavity in said body, an electrical switch means in said cavity for controlling the current to said coil, a means interconnecting said switch means and said armature for actuating said switch means, and a pair of electrical conductor members embedded in said body and connected to said switch means and coil and having means for connection to a source of current for said coil.
 5. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 4 in which said switch consists of a leaf spring element connected to one of said electrical conductor members and yieldably connected to the other of said electrical members and a stem engaging said yieldable end of said element and extending from said body for engagement by said armature.
 6. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 4 in which said nonconducting material of said body consists of a relatively rigid plastic material.
 7. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 4 in which said pair of electrical connector members consists of relatively rigid bars connected to the coil along either side thereof.
 8. An integrated electrical control device as defined in claim 7 in which said base has a pivot means for said armature end a stop means for limiting the movement of said armature away from said core. 